REVIEW: Dekh Magar Pyar Se, at your own risk!

It was a low-key affair at Capri Cinema, where surprisingly Humaima Malick’s Dekh Magar Pyar Se‘s premiere was held. Upon reaching the venue, one was able to spot several policemen guarding the venue from outside as well as numerous police mobiles stationed outside the main gate.

In an attempt to draw conformity with Dekh Magar Pyar Se‘s theme, a decorated rickshaw was placed on one corner of the room whereas a pani puri stand stood at the other. As guests helped themselves to the tasteful delicacy, photographers had a field day snapping movie stars and prominent personalities (however few they were).

Sikander Rizvi ws undoubtedly the star of the day (since Humaima had not shown up) and was busily chatting away with reporters, photographers and the who’s who from the world of showbiz. After numerous snaps and plenty of talk, everyone decided to settle inside the theaters, so that the show could commence.

All eyes were certainly on the debutant Sikander Rizvi, Noor Jehan’s grandson, who was starring beside the beautiful Humaima Malick. However, Sikander was unable to leave a mark as a rickshaw driver who gets defrauded on multiple occasions in the movie by a beautiful con-artist, Annie (played by Humaima).

So here’s the plot; rickshaw driver Siki is a hopeless romantic who falls in love with Humaima Malick, who unexpectedly boards his rickshaw one day. The simpleton Siki often falls for Annie’s seductive charm and she’s fully aware of it. So much so that whilst he demands his chacha’s hefty sum of Rs 1,000,000 that she absconded with (holding a knife to her neck) she presses him close and whispers into Siki’s ear, Mai Tum Se Kuch Bi Karwa Sakti Hu (I can make you do anything).

Annie puts her fraudulent skills to good use and comes up with a ploy to scam people and make a fortune out of it. Siki goes along with it, oblivious to his crush’s inner motives. As soon as Annie gets the chance, she pockets the entire amount both her and Siki had amassed from hoodwinking people and flees. There is a twist at the end of the tale and I’d spare it so you can see for yourself what happens in the end.

The splendor of Lahore was captured by Asad-ul-Haq but obviously it wasn’t enough. Humaima Malick’s sizzling on-screen persona and Sikander Rizvi’s boyish good looks weren’t even able to save the day. For one, Humaima Malick’s over pouting and over-acting (in that order) turned every scene redundant. What happened to the stellar actress we witnessed in Shoaib Mansoor’s Bol? Sikander Rizvi’s continued cynical approach in trusting Annie and yelling again and again at her also does not seem convincing. Everything about the plot is just too darn repetitive.

Apart from a few jokes and some groovy dance numbers, there’s not much one can salvage from Dekh Magar Pyar Se. It’s about time we stop patting every Pakistani flick on the back, under the garb of ‘Pakistani cinema revival’. In short, watch DMPS at your own risk, as it fails to fire on any cylinder, let alone all!